Approach

You start in the parking lot at 4276’. Cross the road and hop onto the footbridge. The total route is 3.6 miles round trip gaining 2700’+/- from the canyon floor with several 5.7 climbing problems. Take the Middle Emerald Pools Trail beyond the rock slide interpretive sign. After about 10 minutes from the bridge, you will leave the trail and scramble the slope above to a large headwall at the base of the climb.

Route Description

Proceed left onto a somewhat worn trail. There are two locations where a rope will be useful for ascent and descent. The first is a chimney that has an overhanging 8' boulder move, V-0 with an anchor at top. It is an easy boulder move, but with exposure. The second crux is a right facing off width dihedral about 12' high, with a few 5.7 moves. From here, route find your way up the mountain. In March the snow covered some of the trail evidence. It is fairly straight forward however. Once you break onto the summit ridge, you will be treated to 360 degree views. The final trek to the summit is short and sweet. There is a summit marker and views abound including, Red Arch Mountain, the Great White Throne, Deer Trap Mountain, Cable Mountain, East Temple, West Temple, Cannan Mt, Three Patriarches and Castle Dome.

Essential Gear

I took a party of about 7 up the route myself without a rope, but of course that does not mean I am sane. An 80’ rope is suggested by the Park, thus, I recommend it.’.

Images

""You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.""
--Rene Daumal